Subsequently, I ignored the hype, disregarded the reviews, and didn’t pre-order one for myself. I was determined not to fall into the trap of Apple’s Reality Distortion Field or succumb to the novelty that every new Apple product brings to the table.

Obviously, I caved.

It’s Not Just the Apple Watch, It’s All Smartwatches

You must be wondering, “What’s with the hatred towards the Apple Watch?” The answer is pretty clear if you were to analyze the trend that most smartwatches have been following: the technology is simply a way of relaying notifications from your phone to your wrist, sprinkled with a few “smart” functions.

It’s probably apparent that my cold reception of the Apple Watch was pretty much a generalisation of my feelings towards all smartwatches: they’re a waste of money. In terms of style, no screen can beat the look of an automatic chronograph watch on your wrist.

As for function, why would you need another device to relay notifications from your phone, when you could just reach for your phone? What’s the value in owning another device that you have to charge on a daily basis?

No Strings Attached

As a technology enthusiast and writer, it would be reckless of me to publicly state my opinion of the Apple Watch without first testing it. And I don’t mean walking into an Apple store and using the Watch for a few minutes. In order to truly understand Apple’s intention for the Watch, I needed to incorporate it into my daily routine. I needed to experience it first-hand but I couldn’t bring myself to buy one.

It’s the Perfect Activity Tracker

Unlike smartwatches before it, the Apple Watch isn’t a watch with several smart functions — it’s actually a smart device, which includes a clock. A multifunctional device that also happens to be able to tell the time — sounds novel, doesn’t it?

The trouble is being consistent. Sometimes you forget to log an activity you’re exceptionally proud of. More often than not, the entire process becomes a chore that you would much rather avoid doing altogether. That’s why the ideal activity tracker should be attached to your person, and in the case of the Apple Watch, your wrist.

You’ll never need to manually log your activities (running, jogging, cycling) unless you want to, and you no longer need to bring your phone with you when you exercise. The Apple Watch will track your activity independently and automatically sync with the Activity app on the iPhone to display your progress.

Like most Apple products, it works right out of the box, and continues to do so in the background, providing a seamless experience. It’s truly the most intuitive activity tracker I’ve used to date.

Notifications That Actually Work

Many people have criticized the Apple Watch for being a glorified notifications relayer. I was guilty of being one. Apple is known for marketing products you don’t need but want, and I wasn’t going to fall for that ruse. Why should I need a smartwatch to inform me of every message, calendar event, and reminder when I can just as easily view them on my iPhone?

Because it’s so much better.

Before the Apple Watch came along, I’d often miss notifications and important calls whenever my hands were tied: carrying bags of groceries, doing the dishes, gardening. Being able to view messages and answer phone calls on your wrist without needing to free up your hands, or reach for your iPhone in your purse or pocket is a liberating experience that you’ll only ever appreciate when it happens to you.

Options While Driving

Road regulations in Australia have become much tighter, especially when it involves the use of mobile phones while operating a vehicle. It is now against the law for drivers to touch a mobile phone; even to check the time, change songs, view messages or answer calls, unless the mobile phone is secured in a cradle.

Personally, I keep my phone in my pocket at all times while I’m in my car, and the Apple Watch has opened up a slew of new options to safely use my phone while driving. Answering calls, checking incoming messages, replying to them, controlling music, can all be done through Siri and voice commands. Admittedly, some tasks do require taking one hand off the steering wheel, but it’s legal as far as I’m concerned.

Information Front and Center

If you lead a busy life with jam-packed schedules, organizing yourself can be a challenge. I’ve found that one thing the Apple Watch does really well is present your next to-do item.

The default Modular clock face is highly customizable. On my Watch, I placed my calendar appointments up front and center so whenever I check the time, I get a subliminal reminder of what I need to do next. It works gloriously.

It’s Not All Good

Admitting any inherent flaws is the only way to make the Apple Watch work for you, and not the other way around.

One of the issues with owning an Apple Watch is obligation to wear it all the time. Unlike automatic watches which can remain in the winder until you need them, leaving the Apple Watch attached to its charger for days on end isn’t an option. There’s really no point in owning an Apple Watch and not wearing it on a daily basis.

So the question is, what do you do with the rest of your watches? Thankfully, I have yet to cross that bridge. I consider the Apple Watch a tool: it’s a convenience when I’m wearing it, otherwise, it’s not a big deal — I’ll reach for my phone. So whenever it’s time to clock out from work, I remove the Watch from my wrist and slip on a more traditional timepiece.

I’m Sold

Despite my initial efforts to repel Apple Watch, I’ve grown to like it. I won’t go as far as saying I need it, but it’s a useful tool to have attached to my wrist. It surpassed most of my expectations and eventually won me over.

Now I’ve just got to wait for mine to arrive. I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen next year when Apple announces an upgrade.

Unfortunately, the sad reality for most first-generation Apple products is that they're never quite as good as Apple can make them. Take the first-gen iPhone, iPad, and iPad mini, for instance -- they all have inherent flaws that prevent them from being the best devices of their time. But being an early adopter is all about overlooking those flaws and focusing on the experience of owning one.

Just curious if your daily phone of choice is an iPhone? I would assume so because most, if not all, of these functions can be done on the Android smartwatches. What made this device stand out amongst the rest - was it its looks? How did you feel when wearing what is an admittedly attractive smartwatch?

DM, something I realized about wearables: They were originally designed to improve human cognition and awareness. The original high-tech, modern wearables were designed to give Navy divers infrared vision in complete darkness using (as bizarre as this sounds) electrical current applied to the mouth. It was supposed to be like having superpowers.

The modern consumer wearable turned out to be a way for corporations to log their users' location, activity, and behavior. Instead of giving us enhanced awareness of our bodies, it gives corporations enhanced awareness of consumers.

But that said, the Apple Watch melds today's best technology into a single package. This is basically like Android Wear combined with the Basis Peak. It's the best of a bad situation.

Got email Watch coming tomorrow. Suppose to be mid June so excited. If you wait for next best thing - you will be waiting FOREVER because there will always be better version coming. Whats more important is if apps helps make your life easier or more productive or save you time. IMHO that is worth much more $350, $700 and thats why people love Apple. Its all about the apps

Jackson Chung, M.D. is MakeUseOf's Chief Executive Officer. Despite having a medical degree, he's always been passionate about technology, and that's how he came to be MakeUseOf's first Mac writer. He has close to 20 years of experience working with Apple computers.